Hydraulic mechanism and valve for same.



F. HENNEBUHLE.

HYDRAULIC MECHANISM AND VALVE FOR SAME.

APPLICATION mzo mmzl, 1911.

13831179 Patented 001; 29,1918.

j; 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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r. HENNEBD'HLE.

HYDRAULIC MECHANISM AND VALVE FOR SAME.

APPLICATION man munzlflsn.

1,283,179. Patented 00th 29,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- FRANK HENNEBCiI-ILE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

HYDRAULIC MECHANISM AND VALVE FOR SAME.

Patented Get. 29, 1918.

Application filed March 21, 1917. Serial No. 156,264.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK HENNE-3 BoHLE, citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hydraulic Mechanism and Valves for Same, and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to piston-actuated reciprocating -mechanisms, itsgeneral objects being to provide unusually simple and effective meansfor controlling such a mechanism and for cushioning the action of thesame. In operating open-hearth furnaces, it has long been customary tocontrol the supply of air and of gas to each furnace by valves of largedimensions controlled by hydraulically operated pistons, but it hasheretofore been difficult to secure the desired iomng. Moreover, themeans for affording this retarding or cushioning have heretoforeincluded auxiliary piston-actuated mechanisms, thereby increasing thecost of installing such arrangements and the upkeep of the same.

My invention aims to overcome these objections with a pair of pistonsjointly connected to an operating mechanism, by utilizing each pistonfor controlling the means for retarding the other piston, bysubstituting a new and simple type of throttling valve for the separatevalve and by-pass arrangements heretofore used, by providing simplemeans for regulating the amount of the throttling even when themechanismis in operation, and for normally concealing the regulating means so asto avoid a tampering with the latter. My invention also aims to employ anovel and leakage-proof fourrway valve for controlling the fluid whichmoves the two pistons in either direction, thereby preventing a creepingof the pistons from their desired positions, and to employ an unusuallysimple system of piping in this connection. Still other ob- ]ects willappear from the following specification and from the accompanyingdrawings, in which drawings Figure 1 is a diagram showing theapplication of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through one of the throttlingvalves of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of one end of the plunger of Fig. 2, taken from theline 33.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the four-way or control valveincluded in my invention.-

Fig. 5 is a central section through the same, taken along the line 55 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the same, taken along the line6-6 of Fig. 5.

In theembodiment of the drawings, the lever 1 is connected by pistonrods 2 and 2 to pistons 3 and 3* disposed respectively in cylinders land 1, so that the forcible movement of either piston in one directionwill not only move the lever 1 but will also move the other piston. Eachcylinder is connected near its rear end to an inlet pipe, and each hasan outlet pipe connected to it at a distance farther from the head ofthe cylinder than the thickness of the piston housed by this cylinder.Both of the entrance pipes 9 and 10 lead to a four-way valve 12, bymeans of which these pipes may be alternately connected to a fluidsupply pipe 13 and an exhaust pipe 14:. Mounted in each of the pipes 9and 10 is a throttling valve, desirably of the type hereafter described,which valve has a side opening connected by a separate pipe to theoutlet pipe associated with one of the cylinders. Thus, the valve 7disposed in the pipe 9 leading into the cylinder 1 near the rear end ofthe latter has a side opening connected by a pipe 11 to a side outlet 5in the other cylinder 4. Likewise, the side outlet 5 in the cylinder 4is connected by a pipe 8 to the side opening in a valve 6 disposed inthe pipe 10 which leads from the rear end of the cylinder 4 to thefour-way valve ,12.

Each of the valves 6 and 7 desirably consists of a body member 15 havingoppositely disposed threaded ends and having at one side an outletbushing 16 which serves as a guide for a plunger or valve member. Thisplunger (in the embodiment of Fig. 2)

consists of a portion 17 slidably fitting the of which stem is connectedto transverse bores 23 leading to the valve chamber above the said seat.Threaded upon the valve body 15 is a screw 24 having a tapering tipdesigned to enter and almost close the bore of the tubular stem 20 whenthe plunger of the valve is seated as in Fig. 2. With the valveconstructed as in Fig. 2, fluid entering the righthand threaded end willmove the plunger off its seat, and since the head 17 of the plunger isgreater in area than the head 19, the pressures on these heads will actdifl'erentially to hold the head 19 of the plunger away from the seat22, thereby permitting fluid to pass between the guides 20 and throughthe main bore of the valve body. However, owing to the comparativelysmall difference in size between the heads 17 and 19, the plunger willbe almost in a balanced condition, so that it will only require a slightpressure of fluid through the bushing 16 to return the plunger to itsseated position, in which position the main ends of the valve body areconnected only through the restricted passage comprising the bores 23,the bore of the stem 20, and the space between the latter stem and thetip of the screw 24.

In operation, if the lever 1 is to be moved toward the left, thefour-way valve 12 is thrown to the position shown in Fig. 1, therebyconnecting the fluid supply pipe 13 through the pipe 10 with the rear ofthe cylinder 4, while the rear of the cylinder 4 is connected throughthe pipe 9 to the exhaust pipe 14. The pressure of the fluid behind thepiston 3-will then move the latter toward the left, while the valve 6will be opened to its maximum capacity by the pressure of the fluidpassing through it. The forward heads of both cylinders desirably haveopenings 26 leading to the outer air, so that the piston 3 meets with noappreciable resistance in its forward movement, while the piston 3forces the fluid in the cylinder 4 through the pipe 9 and the valve 7into the exhaust duct 14. During this latter action, the valve 7 is alsoopen to its maximum capacity, since the throttling plunger on its outerside is connected by the pipe 11 with the forward or air-containing endof the cylinder 4 However, as soon as the piston 3 has passed the port5, the actuating fluid will also enter the pipe 11, and by acting on thenut end of the plunger-17 in the valve 7 will move this plunger to itsthrottling position. Then, the further exit of the fluid in the rear ofthe cylinder 4 will be checked by the slowness with which this fluid canpass through the throttlin valve 7 thereby cushioning the further or nalportion of the piston movement. I

It will be obvious from the drawings that by turning the valve 12 to itsopposite position, the pipe connections will. be reversed and the pistonsystem will be moved in the opposite direction, and that the finalmovementof the pistons will then be retarded by the throttling valve 6,the plunger of the latter being moved to its throttling position byfluid from the cylinder 4 as soon as the piston 3 has passed the port 5.Consequently, my simple mechanism enables me to secure a positivemovement of the piston system in either direction and to insure thecushioning or retarding of the movements toward the close of eachstroke. This cushioning or retardation will depend in its extent on thesize of the opening between the tubular stem 20 and each throttlingvalve and the tip of the screw 24, hence the amount of the throttlingcan be regulated by moving this screw in or out. This adjusting caneasily be done from the outside of the valve after removing the cap 25,.regardless of whether or not the mechanism is in operation, yet thereplacing of the cap 25 effectively conceals the adjusting screw andobviates the tampering which has proven so serious with thehand-controlled throttling valves used as auxiliaries to the much morecomplicated mechanisms heretofore used for the same purpose.

However, while I have indicated a fourway valve of conventional type inthe diagram of Fig. 1, it will be obvious from this same valve diagramthat any leakage of fluid around the periphery of the valve member mayseriously affect the stability of the mechanism, in that it may permit acreeping of the pistons from their desired positions. Consequently, avalve in which there can be no such creeping and in which the outlet andexit passages are not separated merely by abutting elements liable tohave a crevice between them connecting such passages, is essential tothe successful operation of my piston-actuated mechanism and to theproper action of my throttling valves in connection with the latter. Myinvention therefore includes a control valve in which the closures donot depend on friction fits between relatively slidable elements, butare formed by the seating of valve parts on ground seats, and in whichpositive means are provided for locking the valve elements in certainpositions. For this purpose, 1 preferably provide a valve body 27 (hi s.4 and 5) threadedly connected at two si es to pipes 9 and 10,respectively, and at another side to an inlet pipe' 13. The latter pipeleads to a chamber 28 interposed between walls separating this chamberfrom chambers into which the pipes 9 and. 10 respectively open, theseWalls being provided within the latter chambers with seats borderingalined perforations. Extending through the said alined perforations is amovable valve member consisting of a pair of disks or heads 29 and 30fast upon a stem 31 and with guide Webs 32 extendinglengthwise of thestem between the disks,"and with other guide webs 33 and 34 extendingfrom the opposite faces of said disksdiito' end chambers 35 bothconnected to an exhaust pipe 14. The upper end of the stem 31 isconnected to a lever 36 rockin ly mounted on the end of a link 37 whichlatter is pivoted to the valve body. Pivoted also at or near thejuncture of the link 37 with the rocking lever 36 is a weighted arm-38having lugs 39 adapted respectively to engage portions of the rockingarm 36 at opposite sides of its fulcrum 40. I With the parts in theposition of Figs. 4: and 5, the weight on the arm 38, through one of thelugs 39, acts on the rockinglever 36, thereby forcibly holding themovable valve member in the raised position in which pipe 9 connectswith pipe 13, while pipe 10 connects through the chamber 35 with pipe14. Likewise, if the weighted arm 38 were thrown to the left, theleft-hand -lug ;39

would engage the rocking lever 36, thereby depressing the valve memberand holding 'the disks 29 and 30 respectively on the other pair ofseats. This would connect pipes 9 and 14, and pipes 10 and '13respectively,

thereby operatively reversing the pistonactuated mechanism. In eithercase, the weight on the arm 38, acting toone side of the fulcrum 40,will positively hold the valve member in its desired position, and theuse of ground seating valves will insure tight closures, so that allcreeping of the pistons from their desired position is avoided. Tofacilitate construction, I preferably guide the webs 33 and 34 inbushings detachable from the main portion of the valve body.

However, I do not wish to be limited to this .or other details of theconstruction and arrangement here disclosed, since the same mightobviously be altered in many ways without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

I i claim as my invention:

'1f.' Piston-actuated mechanism, including a pair of operatively alinedcylinders, interconnected pistons in the respective cylinders, pipesconnecting the rear ends of the cylinders respectively with a fluidunder.

pressure and with an exhaust passage, and throttling means in each pipes ject to the pressure of the actuating fluid in the op-- positecylinder.

2. Piston-actuated mechanism, including a pair of operatively alinedcylinders, interconnected pistons in the respective cylinders, ductsleading. respectively from the rear ends of the cylinders, means foralternately passage through the valve,

connecting said ducts to exhaust and fluidsupply passages, a throttlingvalve-in each duct, and means responsive to the position of the pistonin the cylinder to which the other duct is connected, for actuating thethrottling valve in each duct.

3. In a valve, a body, a double seating valve movable therein, acontinuously open passage through the valve, and means adjustable fromoutside the said body for controlling the eifective size of said passagewhen the valve is in one position.

4. Ina valve, a body, a double seating valve movable therein, acontinuously open and means threaded upon said body and entering saidpassage when the valve is in one position for controlling the effectivesize of said passage.

5. In a valve, a body, a double seating valve movable therein, acontinuously open passage through the valve, and means adjustable fromoutside the said body for controlling the effective size of said passagewhen the valve is in one position, and means normally concealing thesaid adjustable means. 85

-6. Piston-actuated mechanism, including a pair of operativelyalinedcylinders, interconnected pistons in the respective cylinders,pipes connecting the rear ends of the cylinders respectively with afluid under pressure and with an exhaust passage, and throttling meansin each pipe subject to the pressure of the actuating fluid in theopposite cylinder, in combination with a single valve for controllingthe connections to fluid-supply and exhaust pipes, said valve having twoseating elements each adapted to engage one or the other of two seats.

.7. Piston-actuated mechanism, including a pair of operatively alinedcylinders, interv pressure of the actuating fluid in the oppositecylinder, a single valve for controlling the connections to fluid-supplyand exhaust plpes, said valve having two seating elements each adaptedto engage one or the other of two seats, and a movable weight associatedwith the said valve and adapted when in one position to hold the twoseating elements on their respective seats independently of the fluidpressure.

Signedat Chicago, March 16th, 1917.

FRANK HENNEBOHLE.

